No one rides them, yet bicyclesdictate our public policy

I still don't understand what your trying to convince me of I guess I really am stupid.

while it's easy and powerful to sit at your desk and write about how as a car owner you are going to "ram the cyclists", few people in recorded history have been stupid enough to do so. here in Boulder, many law abiding cyclists have taken to a digital camera with a mounted remote lens to capture aggressive drivers. nothing is more convincing than video of a group riding well within the shoulder while an oncoming vehicle swerves to prove a point. unfortunately for the driver, it only takes two people who witnessed the incident to file a complaint and have a wreckless driving citation issued.

Hunglo wrote:

<quoted text>
As Ron White says, "you can't fix stupid"

Yes sir, and you just proved your own point!

I cry for all your wasted time....
Give me a break - I'll bet your 15 min trying to get around a cyclist is more like 15 secs.... don't you remember how incredibly long a one minute speech was when you were in school.
And all that horrendous wasted time, just means the next time you get to a red light you have to wait a little less.
Get a life and stop trolling the internet. You're just little school yard bullies who never grew up - I'm bigger than you so I can make threats. Nya-nya

observer to the stupidity wrote:

while it's easy and powerful to sit at your desk and write about how as a car owner you are going to "ram the cyclists", few people in recorded history have been stupid enough to do so. here in Boulder, many law abiding cyclists have taken to a digital camera with a mounted remote lens to capture aggressive drivers. nothing is more convincing than video of a group riding well within the shoulder while an oncoming vehicle swerves to prove a point. unfortunately for the driver, it only takes two people who witnessed the incident to file a complaint and have a wreckless driving citation issued.

With I think only one exeption all any of the drivers here have asked is that the cyclists keep to the shoulder or at least to the right and not impede traffic. Sure there are idiots like in your example, generally these are drivers even the other motorists on the road don't like.

Anon "And we don't worry that your bike will hurt us, it won't, but that 5000 lb truck won't even notice driving over pretty little bike."
It's not a threat, just a fact and again I doubt that I could convince you of that. If I'd wanted to threaten you I'd have said "I'll just run you over next time your in my way" See there's a big difference.

Basically, you cyclists are asking motorists to be patient and slow down when we pass for your safety, that's cool. What us motorists are asking is that the cyclists show us some curtesy and not obstruct traffic.

A few things about us grown men wearing bright colors: the bright colors are useful to us. They help us get noticed, so as not to be run over, apparently by lewday and hunglo.

Insofar as Lewday's "just ram them" comment goes, I'd say that while I know this is meant to get my goat, so to speak, I think the bigger problem could be for you. If you were to write such a thing, and then accidentally be involved in an auto-cyclist incident, this could really be an unfortunate comment regarding how the state perceives your intentions.

Finally, because I'm feeling contrite today, I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience some drivers have had for 15-30 seconds of slower speeds while waiting for a safe place to pass a cyclist.

I and some of the other amateur racers that you describe, in our bright colors, strive to ride single file on roads that have no shoulder. 2 abreast only if there is plenty of shoulder, never 3 abreast unless its right at an intersection where we bunch together so as not to string ourselves out and inconvenience drivers.

But we won't "assume the white line" on the side of the road so you can miss us with your car but smack us upside the head with your rear-view mirror or your dualie wheel well. You need more space than that to pass safely.

While most cyclists prefer to be on the bike, most of us are also car owners, and enjoy contributing to society. We also try not to inconvienience you, balancing that with our own safety. Keep that in mind when choosing your enemies.

Hunglo wrote:

<quoted text>
With I think only one exeption all any of the drivers here have asked is that the cyclists keep to the shoulder or at least to the right and not impede traffic. Sure there are idiots like in your example, generally these are drivers even the other motorists on the road don't like.

Basically, you cyclists are asking motorists to be patient and slow down when we pass for your safety, that's cool. What us motorists are asking is that the cyclists show us some curtesy and not obstruct traffic.

I will concede that there are some cyclists out there who 'abuse the privilege', but I must point out that 'as far as practicable' does NOT translate to 'as far as possible', as most people think.(I COULD fall back on the epigram "we do not impede traffic - we are traffic", but I won't...whoops) Drivers MUST realize and remember that the right of cyclists to the road is equal to that of drivers, qualifications notwithstanding. And, yes -- the responsibilities are equal, as well. Personally, I think a lane-hogging cyclist is less of a road hazard than a red-light runner in a Mini-Cooper. But that could just go on and on....

The absolute bottom line here is that NO ONE has either exclusive right or preferential right to public roads. We BOTH belong, and we BOTH need to start acting like it....

If more people rode bikes, it would solve an awful lot of problems. Less obese people, less pollution, but most importantly more people would understand the need to use the roadways sensibility

Lisa Gi wrote:

If more people rode bikes, it would solve an awful lot of problems. Less obese people, less pollution, but most importantly more people would understand the need to use the roadways sensibility

Epiphany! Now stop surfing the 'net and get me a beer, Lisa.

How very American of you. You don't understand it, so therefore you must hate it. What if I told that there are even gay cyclists! And OMG, I hear women can vote now!

Heaven forbid your commute (you know, the most important one in the world) should be impeded for a whole three seconds while people are out exercising, recreating and enjoying their lives. No, no, you just run them right over so you can get to the Drive Thru ASAP and order your McHeart Attack.

And regarding the "terrain" you speak of: Believe it or not, there are some people that actually like a challenge in their life, in their day and riding your bike on this "terrain" (also known the the layperson as a "hill") provides just that. While you may run short of breath going downstairs to get the morning paper, we "ninnies" can handle physical exertion.

I think your article illustrates a major problem in this country: Entitlement. Everyone seems to think they're just entitled to everything. Like that ridiculous F-Huge-50 without commercial plates or that variable rate mortgage for the house you can't afford that has since put our dollar in the toilet.

Now there are equally arrogant and troublesome cyclists as well and they're certainly not helping the cause either. But you sir, disgust me and make me very disappointed to be living in this country. So do us all a favor and go cram it with walnuts.

"writer, commentator and public policy researcher" = unemployed right-wing video gamer living in mom's basement.

you are insane. you'll never find miles and miles of bike riders clogging up the road. You can just wait for a safe time to pass and then you can go ahead and pass them. god forbid you have to wait 30 extra seconds.

Eddy Merckx wrote:

How very American of you. You don't understand it, so therefore you must hate it. What if I told that there are even gay cyclists! And OMG, I hear women can vote now!
Heaven forbid your commute (you know, the most important one in the world) should be impeded for a whole three seconds while people are out exercising, recreating and enjoying their lives. No, no, you just run them right over so you can get to the Drive Thru ASAP and order your McHeart Attack.
And regarding the "terrain" you speak of: Believe it or not, there are some people that actually like a challenge in their life, in their day and riding your bike on this "terrain" (also known the the layperson as a "hill") provides just that. While you may run short of breath going downstairs to get the morning paper, we "ninnies" can handle physical exertion.
I think your article illustrates a major problem in this country: Entitlement. Everyone seems to think they're just entitled to everything. Like that ridiculous F-Huge-50 without commercial plates or that variable rate mortgage for the house you can't afford that has since put our dollar in the toilet.
Now there are equally arrogant and troublesome cyclists as well and they're certainly not helping the cause either. But you sir, disgust me and make me very disappointed to be living in this country. So do us all a favor and go cram it with walnuts.

It's nothing to do with impeding my commute for a whole three seconds, it's a matter of safety. I know cyclists get off on having the power to be able to hold up a whole of traffic for way more than three seconds -- try fifteen minutes -- by riding across the lane. I would love to be able to ride a bike to work, but it's just not realistic, as it isn't for the vast majority of people who work. Driving is nerve-wracking enough, having to deal with idiots on cell phones and eating food and whatever the hell else they do behind the wheel, when you throw in those on bicycles riding in the middle of the road it gets ridiculous.

Thanks Captain Obvious I thought cyclists were exempt from all rules of the road wow guess I was wrong got me. Please don't run me over thats all I ask. How many stop signs have you rolled through today? none I'm sure.

Yes, there are some inconsiderate cyclists out there. Any decent person on a bike will move to the shoulder to allow a car/truck/vehicle to pass. However, the road is a public space, and sharing it requires courtesy from both parties. Everyone driving a gas-guzzling SUV ought to be thankful that they have a public road to ride on at all; without massive public subsidies, our roads and highways would be unusable.(By the way Mr. Muska, IMHO you are the twerp...!)

danimal wrote:

A few things about us grown men wearing bright colors: the bright colors are useful to us. They help us get noticed, so as not to be run over, apparently by lewday and hunglo.
Insofar as Lewday's "just ram them" comment goes, I'd say that while I know this is meant to get my goat, so to speak, I think the bigger problem could be for you. If you were to write such a thing, and then accidentally be involved in an auto-cyclist incident, this could really be an unfortunate comment regarding how the state perceives your intentions.
Finally, because I'm feeling contrite today, I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience some drivers have had for 15-30 seconds of slower speeds while waiting for a safe place to pass a cyclist.
I and some of the other amateur racers that you describe, in our bright colors, strive to ride single file on roads that have no shoulder. 2 abreast only if there is plenty of shoulder, never 3 abreast unless its right at an intersection where we bunch together so as not to string ourselves out and inconvenience drivers.
But we won't "assume the white line" on the side of the road so you can miss us with your car but smack us upside the head with your rear-view mirror or your dualie wheel well. You need more space than that to pass safely.
While most cyclists prefer to be on the bike, most of us are also car owners, and enjoy contributing to society. We also try not to inconvienience you, balancing that with our own safety. Keep that in mind when choosing your enemies.

I appreciate the biker whois courteous and am courteous in return. Should a bicyclist stray in and out of the open roadway, I'm not so forgiving. I teach defensive driver training. Part of the lesson is to 'second guess' and predict actions of others - and to be ready for what comes our way.

There are far more discourteous drivers of cars than there are of bikes, in my experience. In fact, the bicyclist is generally more aware of the consequences of his/her actions than the average motorist.

If I were on a bike, I be would too.

Driver wrote:

<quoted text>
It's nothing to do with impeding my commute for a whole three seconds, it's a matter of safety. I know cyclists get off on having the power to be able to hold up a whole of traffic for way more than three seconds -- try fifteen minutes -- by riding across the lane. I would love to be able to ride a bike to work, but it's just not realistic, as it isn't for the vast majority of people who work. Driving is nerve-wracking enough, having to deal with idiots on cell phones and eating food and whatever the hell else they do behind the wheel, when you throw in those on bicycles riding in the middle of the road it gets ridiculous.

I will agree that I have seen many a cyclist who takes advantage of some sort of 'exemption' mentality that says that motor vehicle operators need to yeild to them, regarless of thier obstacles. It's clear that there are MANY idiots in the world and they don't ALL get around the dame way.

Lisa Gi wrote:

If more people rode bikes, it would solve an awful lot of problems. Less obese people, less pollution, but most importantly more people would understand the need to use the roadways sensibility

Don't you have a soccer mom event to go to? WE all don't stay home all day tending the brood in Stepford. Some of us actually have to drive to work.

Lisa Gi wrote:

If more people rode bikes, it would solve an awful lot of problems. Less obese people, less pollution, but most importantly more people would understand the need to use the roadways sensibility

Sorry - I'll stick with the cars.